How to Raise a Concern About a Health or Care Professional
Most care is good care, but when something goes wrong it is important to know that you can speak up – and that doing so can make care safer for everyone. Raising a concern is not about getting someone into trouble; it is one of the ways regulation protects the public. This article explains when to raise a concern, who to approach first, and what happens once a regulator becomes involved.
When to raise a concern
You do not need to be certain that a rule has been broken; if something about a professional’s conduct or competence worries you, that is enough to ask the question. Concerns worth raising include unsafe practice, dishonesty, serious rudeness or discrimination, or any behaviour that puts patients at risk. Regulators deal with serious issues about a professional’s fitness to practise, rather than every minor service complaint.
Who to contact first
It often helps to start close to where the problem happened. Depending on the situation, the right first step may be one of the following:
- The professional’s employer, practice or service manager.
- The organisation’s formal complaints procedure.
- The relevant regulator, where the concern is serious.
- Emergency services, if someone is in immediate danger.
Raising a concern step by step
- Write down what happened, with dates, names and details.
- Decide whether to raise it locally first or go straight to the regulator.
- Identify the correct regulator for that profession.
- Submit your concern through the regulator’s official process.
- Keep copies of everything and note any reference number.
What a regulator can and cannot do
| A regulator can | A regulator cannot |
|---|---|
| Investigate a professional’s fitness to practise | Award you compensation |
| Impose conditions, suspend or remove registration | Handle every minor service complaint |
| Protect the public from future harm | Provide you with medical treatment |
| Set and enforce professional standards | Act as your personal legal representative |
What to expect from the process
Once a regulator receives a concern it will assess whether it falls within its remit and whether it is serious enough to investigate. Investigations can take time, because fairness to the public and to the professional both matter. You may be asked for more information, and you will usually be told the outcome. Even where no formal action follows, your concern adds to the picture that helps keep standards high.
Speaking up can feel daunting, but it is a vital part of a safe system. By raising a genuine concern through the right channel, you help regulation do its job – protecting not only yourself, but every future patient in that professional’s care. The final article looks at the professional standards that all of this is measured against.